Earlier this morning, this inviting announcement tantalized me to attend a meditative ceremony tonight, the longest day of the year: Summer solstice marks the middle of growing season, as plants flourish and we cultivate them to ensure an abundant harvest. It is the longest day of the year, with the … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #120: Summer solstice~An opportunity to re-energize
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Scarlett Letter #119: Part II–Want to deliver an outstanding presentation? Consider modifying the way you build the content.
In Part I--Want to deliver an outstanding presentation?, I wrote about creating multiple openings and conclusions in order to ensure those two aspects of the speech are your very best. Here in Part II, I will share information on an alternative way to compose your content, as suggested to me by … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #119: Part II–Want to deliver an outstanding presentation? Consider modifying the way you build the content.
Scarlett Letter #118: Part I–Want to deliver an outstanding presentation? Work hardest on your opening/introduction!
Have you ever noticed that when you deliver a presentation, you always tend to do better overall if you kick off with an energetic, compelling opening? Think about it. You’ve created momentum, rather than an uphill battle. Your confidence is fed because you notice everyone perking up in their … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #118: Part I–Want to deliver an outstanding presentation? Work hardest on your opening/introduction!
Scarlett Letter #117: Top ten words people want to hear
Last year, I attended a Neuromarketing Workshop put on by Patrick Renvoise of SalesBrain. The program was graciously hosted by Vistage. The neuromarketing concept is intriguing. It speaks to the concept of delivering the right message to the 'old brain', because essentially the old brain responds … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #117: Top ten words people want to hear
Scarlett Letter #116: Questioning ‘tradition’ in business
At the end of a symphonic concert, we 'expect' the conductor to play 'hard-to-get'. He enters and exits, again and again. Even with a standing ovation, it takes him about 4-5 times before he will finally sit down to play another piece. For someone like me, this tradition of playing-hard-to-get gets … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #116: Questioning ‘tradition’ in business
Scarlett Letter #115: Yikes! My blog is (literally) on fire!
Since some of you are sneaking out early for the long memorial weekend ahead, I thought I'd keep today's post on the lighter-side. {But as always, I'll make this story relates to business practices.} As I sat writing my blog a few weeks ago, I did something quite careless. To set the scene, we … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #115: Yikes! My blog is (literally) on fire!
Scarlett Letter #114: Part II. Meeting Leadership~~Consent agendas for effective group meetings
Do all leaders excel at running meetings? And, do all non-leaders run their meetings poorly? Nope, on both counts. Anyone---regardless of their role in the firm---can either be good or bad at running a meeting. It's up to you to decide which one you want to be. Part I of this post was around … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #114: Part II. Meeting Leadership~~Consent agendas for effective group meetings
Scarlett Letter #113: Part I. Meeting Leadership~~Kick-off your networking meetings with an agenda
Has anyone ever said that you were good at leading group meetings? And/or, has anyone ever complimented you on how well you handled a one-on-one networking introductory meeting? Many moons ago, when I was just a couple of years into my career, I remember a senior associate that I respected in the … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #113: Part I. Meeting Leadership~~Kick-off your networking meetings with an agenda
Scarlett Letter #112: Business lessons from an art salon
Two months ago, I attended my first art salon at the Bluebird in Chicago. Created and hosted by Bluebird's owner Tom McDonald and artist JC Steinbrunner, the salon's intention is to provide a forum for exchanging ideas while providing artists an opportunity to converse about their work. The result: … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #112: Business lessons from an art salon
Scarlett Letter #111: When self-branding, leave your cards everywhere, literally
Last month I delivered a presentation to AIA Chicago called Beyond the Magic Bullet: Business Development Strategies to Tackle a Down Economy (Geared towards Small to Mid-sized Firms). The audience was a mix of 70% small-mid-sized firms and 30% job seekers. As a result, I shifted some of the … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #111: When self-branding, leave your cards everywhere, literally